UOW gets share of $100m fund

By
GEMMA KHAICY

The University of Wollongong has become one of the first beneficiaries of a $100 million scholarship program from Westpac.

The Westpac Bicentennial Foundation, launched on Wednesday, will be the single largest private education scholarship program in Australia’s history.

Although no specific amount has been pledged to UOW, Westpac has indicated it will offer the university a technology scholarship to address a lack of women in the IT industry.

The Young Technologist program will offer 30 to 40 three-year undergraduate scholarships nationwide each year to encourage gender diversity in the industry and help students overcome economic disadvantage.

Westpac has pledged other scholarships, including Asian Exchange and Future Leaders scholarships, to be spread across Australia.

The University of Wollongong.

UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings said the funding would help up-and-coming researchers and students alike.

‘‘This is a tremendous corporate philanthropic gift which will have a significant impact on the higher education sector,” he said.

Westpac acknowledged UOW produced among the highest numbers of IT graduates in the country.

The programs will be developed next year and are expected to begin in 2017.